"There's an awful lot of oil in that jungle, but this doesn't look like it will be quite the bonanza everyone expected a year or so ago."

Production by Texaco and Gulf Oil remained steady, however soon the politics of oil would rob the country of economic benefits. The Arab Oil Embargo of 1973 resulted in steep increases in petroleum prices worldwide and Ecuador was not exempt from its repercussions -- inflation took hold of Ecuador's economy by 1974. Food prices soared, and the country's military regime implemented a policy of "caution and conservatism" regarding oil production.

At this point, the population was governed by a military junta. However, in 1976, Governmental Minister Richelieu Levoyer created a plan to return the country to democracy over the course of three years, giving hope of a people's government.

Gulf Oil asked to be let out of their contract due to uncertainty surrounding reasonable returns. In 1977, Ecuador's national oil company, Corporacion Estatal Petrolera Ecuatoriana (CEPE), paid Gulf Oil Co. $120 million for its 37.5 percent share of the contract -- meaning most oil operations in Ecuador were conducted by a partnership between Texaco and the Ecuadorian government.

Chevron acquired Texaco in 2001, and Chevron inherited the case. It continued the fight for an Ecuadorian court and, in 2002, the request was granted -- with the caveat that any judgement would be enforceable in the United States.

When the most current lawsuit was filed in 2003, the oil company again maintained that it is not legally responsible for further cleanup costs. However, the plaintiffs say the oil company was released of its partnership with Petroecuador, not from its responsibility to the people of the land. Jose Aguilar, a local settler, told the AP:

"It is irreparable damage. Everything has been damaged. People have died. Everything has been lost."

On February 14, 2011, an Ecuadorian court found Chevron to be guilty, issuing a $8 billion fine -- the largest environmental penalty awarded ever -- along with an additional $8 billion if Chevron did not promptly issue an apology. Chevron refused, claiming that "by imposing this award, the court, in effect, penalized Chevron billions of dollars for exercising its fundamental right to defend itself."